Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Harare and Kariba

50

Cost of Living Index in Harare
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Harare Living Index

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Harare

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

$1,025

/mo nomad

Kariba

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

/mo nomad

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.12 ZWL 270

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.29 ZWL 1,209

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ZWL 149

Cappuccino

$3.01 ZWL 80.4

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ZWL 26.02

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ZWL 12.06

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ZWL 32.54

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ZWL 52.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ZWL 39.26

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.27

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ZWL 45.76

Eggs

$1.98 ZWL 52.8

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 ZWL 304

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 ZWL 148

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.42 ZWL 171

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 ZWL 82.0

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ZWL 45.26

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 ZWL 55.4

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 ZWL 40.42

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 ZWL 46.64

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 ZWL 47.48

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ZWL 32.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ZWL 25.00

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 ZWL 52.0

Wine (Bottle)

$8.37 ZWL 223

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 ZWL 36.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ZWL 52.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ZWL 27.08

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.1 ZWL 1,577

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 ZWL 110

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 ZWL 54.7

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 ZWL 135

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 ZWL 49.01

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.6K ZWL 575.9K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.6K ZWL 735.6K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$52.2 ZWL 1,393

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$21.85 ZWL 583

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.0 ZWL 1,816

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.13 ZWL 1,285

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.78 ZWL 608

Cinema Ticket

$9.88 ZWL 264

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$428 ZWL 11.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,427 ZWL 224.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.65 ZWL 631

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.26 ZWL 568

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.85 ZWL 1,037

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.60 ZWL 1,057

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 ZWL 10.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 ZWL 8,428

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 ZWL 22.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$755 ZWL 20.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$913 ZWL 24.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$388 ZWL 10.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$421 ZWL 11.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.69

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Harare: October 4, 2026

Last update for Kariba: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Harare

$316 30.9%

Kariba

–

Groceries & Markets

Harare

$215 21%

Kariba

–

Eating Out

Harare

$150 14.6%

Kariba

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Harare

$142 13.9%

Kariba

–

Getting Around

Harare

$78 7.6%

Kariba

–

Sport & Entertainment

Harare

$68 6.6%

Kariba

–

Clothing & Footwear

Harare

$56 5.4%

Kariba

–

Good to know

🇿🇼 Harare

🇿🇼 Kariba

🕒 Local time

01:17 1:17 AM

Same time as Harare

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,606,000 Capital

24,210

💱 Currency

Zimbabwean Dollar ZWL $

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZWL = 3.75 USD

100 ZWL = 3.34 EUR

100 ZWL = 3.75 USD

100 ZWL = 3.34 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Harare Kariba 280 km

From you

Harare
Kariba

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Harare vs Kariba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For families, Kariba is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Harare, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Harare and Kariba are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Kariba wins on affordability, Harare on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.